Interlocking clip



Nov. 6, 1945. w. F. REGENHARDT INTERLOCKING CLIP Filed. July 19, 1944INVENTOR MLTER F REGENHARDT BY @Czumw 7/. Z.

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 6, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE INTERLOCKINGour" WalterF. Regenhardt, Wooster, Qhi'o Application July 19,1944,Serial No. 545,613 fiClaims. (Ciao-92M This invention relates tofastenin'g'devices and is particularly directed to devices for unitingrelatively thin fiat sheet-like elements employed in the fabrication offiling cabinets, lockers, wardrobes and similar receptacles. Q

An object of this invention is to provide a simple fastening devicewhich may beapplied to a pair of sheet-like elements to secure/them inassembled relationship without the use of conventional fasteners ortools.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fastening device havinga body portion formed for application to the sheet elements to preventtheir separation and a plurality of locking members which engage thebody and the sheets to retain the body in holding position on thesheets, the connection between the locking members and the body beingsuch that the article can readily be dismantled and reassembled withoutdestruction of the parts.

An object also is to provide a fastening device for joining sheetmembers which device has a body portion for engaging a surface of eachof the sheet members to maintain their positions and locking means forengaging the opposite surfaces of the sheets and the body to 'preventthe release of the sheets.

A further object is to provide a fastening device having a body formedwith shoulders forengaging abutments on the sheets to be joined, andguides for locking members employed to prevent accidental removal of thebody from the sheets, the locking members having shoulders also toretain them in looking positions.

An object also is to provide a fastening device suitable for joiningsheets of fiberboard or like materials, the sheets having perforationsinto which projections on the body portion of the fastening device maybe inserted, locking strips being utilized to engage the projections andthe surrounding portions of the sheets to hold the body of the fasteningdevice in sheet joining position.

A still further object consists in providing sheet assembling meanshaving a sheet metal body bent to form angularly related sections havingoffset portions, each of the sections engaging a surface of a sheetadjacent an opening therein whereby the offset portions will be disposedin the openings in the sheets to preclude separation of 'the sheets, theofiset portions of the sections having outwardly disposed tongues toslidably receive locking strips which are of a length sufficient toengage thesurfaces of the sheets ad- ,jacent the openings on the sidesopposite those 'sembled relationship.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention willbe apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing wherein a preferred form of embodiment of the invention isclearly shown.

In the drawing: Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the corner of a filingcase or similar article fcrmedof sheetlike elements connected b thefastening means comprising the subject matter of the present invention;Y a

Fig. 2 is a detail horizontal sectional view taken on the planeindicated by the line 2-2 of Fig. 1; r i

Fig. 3 is a detail vertical sectional view taken on the plane indicatedby the line 3-3-01" Fig. 2; and r Fig. 4 is a perspective view of theelements comprising a fastening member arranged in a group. E a eReferring more particularly to the drawing, the complete fasteningdevice is indicatedgenerally by the numeral 20. This'fastening deviceincludes a body 2| and a pair of locking'members 22. In the form of theinvention illustrated, the fastening device is utilized to connect apair of sheet-like elements 23 which are disposed in angular relation.The elements 23 may be of fiber board or any other material suitable forthe formation of file cabinets and analogous articles.

In the form of the invention shown in the drawing, the body 2| is formedfrom a strip of sheet metal bent as at 24 to provide angularly relatedsections 25 and 26. The intermediate portions of the sections 25 and 26are also bent to form ofiset portions or projections 21 and 28 which arespaced from the sections 25 and 26 by walls 30, these walls formingspaced shoulders. As illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4 the offset portions 21and 28 have tongues 31 struck outwardly therefrom, the outer portions ofthe tongues being directed toward one another. This formation of thetongues 3| provides over-hanging portions 32 which are spaced outwardlyfrom the offset portions 21 and 28.

. In the use of the fastening device, the sheetlike elements 23 aredisposed as shown in Figs. 1 and 2'with an edge of one sheet abuttingthe surface of the other. adjacent one edge thereof. This arrangementdisposes perforations 33 in the sheets adjacent one another so that whenthe body 2| is positioned in the corner formed by the sheets, theprojections 21 and 28 will enter the openings 33. When so positioned,the exterior surfaces of the sections 25 and 26 engage the innersurfaces of the sheets 23 in the vicinity of the openings 33 and thewalls 30 or shoulders formed thereby engage the opposed edges of theopenings 33 to prevent relative movement between the body and the sheetsand the Separation of the latter.

To prevent accidental withdrawal of the projections from the holes inthe sheets, a pair of locking strips 22 are employed. These stripscomtions 39, remaining between the tongues 3|, connect with the spanningsections 38 to add further stability to the device.

When the fastening elements comprising this invention are employed inthe formation of a file cabinet, the smooth inner surfaces of the bodies2| serve as supports for sliding drawers or other movable elements.

Due to the particular design of the fastening device, the filingcabinets and'otherstructures on which they are employed may be shippedin disassembled or knocked down condition and assembled at the point ofuse by relatively unskilled prise short sections of sheet metal whichare.

slipped between the tongues 3| oneach projection. These locking stripsare of such length that the end portions project beyond the edges of theprojections 21 and 28 and overlie the adjoining portions of the sheets23. The sheets are thus engaged on the inner surface by the body and onthe outer surface by the end portions of the locking strips 22. Sincethe intermediate portions of the locking strips are disposed behind theover-hanging portions 32 of the tongues 3| separation of the body fromthe sheets will be precluded.

To prevent the displacement of the lockin strips 22, these elements havelongitudinally extending ribs 34 formed therein. These ribs terminate inarrow heads 35 which provide opposed spaced shoulders 36. When thelocking strips are properly positioned, the shoulders 38 engage the endedges of the tongues 3| and resist relative movement between the lockingstrips and the projections. formed in the locking strips by a pressingoperation, the edges of these formations blending into the surface ofthe locking strips. The outer ends of the arrow heads 35 are thusinclined to facilitate the insertion of the locking strips between thetongues 3| and the offset portions 21 and 28 of the body. The rib 34also serves to strengthen the locking strips longitudinally wherebylighter gage metal may be employed to thus effect a saving of criticalmaterials and strength imparted to the strip to resist force exertedwhen the locking strips are inserted and withdrawn. They also resistbending of the locking strips when forces tending to separate the sheetsfrom the body 2| are applied. The tongues 3| are so spaced on theprojections 21 and 28 as to constitute guiding means for the lockingstrips 22, the ends of these latter elements being rounded to enhancetheir appearance and facilitate their insertion into the spaces betweenthe tongues.

One of the advantages of the present invention lies in the reduction ofcost of the box. or'filin cabinet. Only a small amount of sheet metal orthe like is necessary for the fastening device, yet providing a sturdilyconstructed cabinet which can withstand considerable abuse. It willb'elvobserved from the drawing, that large sections of the top andbottom edges of the body are disposed for engagement with the top andbottom walls 31 of the opening 33 in the sheet to be'fastened. In fact,these edges substantially span the entire widths of the walls formingthe opening. Thus, the cutting effects of the sheet metal, caused byjostling the cabinet, is distributed over wide areas to thus minimizethe cutting and tearing of the sheets about the openings 33. Thisfeature of the invention is accomplished by forming the spanning orconnecting sections 38 for the tongues 3i and those parts of the body,which are disposed on opposite sides-of the openings 33 in the sheet, inthe offset portions 2'! and 28." The vertical sec-' The ribs 34 andarrow heads are 1,

labor without the use of additional fastening ele- .ments or any tools.After once being assembled these structures may readily be disassembledand stored or shipped without the destruction of any parts, yet when theparts of the structures are in assembled condition they will be securelyretained against separation.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as hereindisclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood thatother forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claimswhich follow.

' Iclaim:

l. A fastening device for connecting two sheetlike elements providedwith spaced openings comprising, in combination, body means formed forengagement with one surface of each sheet-like element, spaced offsetportions formed on said body, means for reception by the openings in thesheet-like element for locating the respective positions of saidelements, outwardly ofiset tongues formed on each of said offsetportions, the ends of the tongues of an offset portion confrontin oneanother and being spaced from one another, said offset portions eachhaving a section spanning the both tongues thereof; and a locking stripfor each of said offset portions, said locking strip being formed forslidable interposition between the tongues and spanning section of anoffset portion and for overlying opposite edges of the opening on thesurface of the sheet obverse to the first mentioned surface.

2. A'fastening device for connecting two sheetlike elements providedwith spaced openings comprising, in combination, body means formed forengagement with one surface of each sheet-like element, spaced offsetportions formed on said body, means for reception by the openings in thesheet-like element for locating the respective positions of saidelements, outwardly offset tongues formed on each of said offsetportions, the ends of the tongues of an offset portion confronting oneanother and being spaced from one another, said offset portions eachhaving sections spanning both tongues on op osite sides thereof; and alocking strip for each of said offset portions, said locking strip beingformed for slidable interposition between the tongues and spanningsections of an offset portion and for overlying opposite edges of theopening on the surface of the sheet obverse to the first mentionedsurface.

3. A fastening device for connecting two sheetlike elements providedwith spaced openings comof the tongues of an offset portion confrontingone another and being spaced from one another.

said offset portions each having sections spanning both tongues onopposite sides thereof and a section extending across the tongues andconmeeting the spanning sections; and a locking strip for each of saidoffset portions, said locking strip being formed for slidableinterposition between the tongues and spanning sections of an offsetportion and for overlying opposite edges of the opening on the surfaceof the sheet obverse to the first mentioned surface.

4. A fastening device for connecting two sheetlike elements providedwith spaced openings comprising, in combination, body means formed forengagement with one surface of each sheet-like element, spaced offsetportions formed on said body, means for reception by the openings in thesheet-like element for locating the respective positions of saidelements, outwardly offset tongues formed on each of said offsetportions, the ends of the tongues of an offset portion confronting oneanother and being spaced from one another, saidoffset portions eachhaving a section spanning the both tongues thereof; and a locking stripfor each of said offset portions, said locking strip being formed forslidable interposition between the tongues and spanningsection of anoffset portion and for overlying opposite edges of the opening on thesurface of the sheet obverse to the first mentioned surface, said striphaving a shoulder arranged to engage a side edge of a tongue to limitthe movement of the strip.

5. A fastening device for connecting two sheetlike elements providedwith spaced openings comprising, in combination, body means formed forengagement with one surface of each sheet-like element, spaced offsetportions formed on said body, means for reception by the openings in thesheet-like element for locating the respective positions of saidelements, outwardly offset tongues formed on each of said offsetportions, the ends of the tongues of an offset portion confronting oneanother and being spaced from one another, said offset portions eachhaving a section spanning the both tongues thereof; and a locking stripfor each of said offset portions, said locking strip being formed forslidable interposition between the tongues and spanning section of anoffset portion and for overlying opposite edges of the opening on thesurface of the sheet obverse to the first mentioned surface, said striphaving spaced shoulders arranged to engage opposite side edges of atongue to limit movement of the strip in either direction.

6. A fastening device for connecting two sheetlike elements providedwith spaced openings comprising, in combination, body means formed forengagement with one surface of each sheet-like element, spaced offsetportions formed on said body, means for reception by the openings in thesheet-like element for locating the respective positions of saidelements, outwardly offset tongues formed on each of said offsetportions, the ends of the tongues of an offset portion confronting oneanother and being spaced from one another, said offset portions eachhaving a section spanning the both tongues thereof; and a locking stripfor each of said offset portions, said locking strip being formed forslidable interposition between the tongues and spanning section of anoffset portion and for overlying opposite edges of the opening on thesurface of the sheet obverse to the first mentioned surface, said striphaving a portion inclining longitudinally of the strip from adjacent oneend thereof and terminating as a shoulder arranged to engage a side edgeof a tongue to limit the movement of the strip.

WALTER F. REGENHARDT.

